Key facts
- Extra calorie burn after a hard workout.
- Larger after high-intensity and resistance training.
- Real, but usually modest in total calories.
- A bonus, not the main driver of fat loss.
After a hard workout, your body keeps working to return to its resting state — restoring oxygen, clearing metabolites, repairing tissue, and refueling. That elevated post-exercise metabolism is EPOC, often called the afterburn, and it means you keep burning slightly more calories for a while after you stop.
EPOC is greater after intense efforts like HIIT and heavy resistance training than after easy steady-state cardio. It's a genuine effect, but its size is often overstated — the afterburn typically adds a modest number of calories, a nice bonus rather than the main reason any workout aids fat loss.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories does the afterburn effect burn?
Usually a modest amount — tens to a couple hundred calories depending on intensity and duration. It's a real bonus but not the main driver of fat loss.
Which workouts create the most EPOC?
High-intensity interval training and heavy resistance training produce more EPOC than low-intensity steady-state cardio, because they disrupt the body more.
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